Safety catch



June 15, 1937.

E. MOREHOUSE 2,083,613

SAFETY CATCH Filed Aug. 28, 1955 INVEN TOR. ZTaye/a f/oreXazzse A TTORNEYS.

Patented June 15, 1937 UNITED STATES SAFETY CATCH Eugene Morehouse, Providence, R. I., assignor to B. A. Ballou & Rhode Island Application August 28 6 Claims. J

This invention relates to a safetycatchyand has for one of its objects the provision of means for retaining the relatively rotating parts in 'a certain definite position with relation to one ans other so as to prevent accidental disengagement of the pinstem from the catch.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means which will utilize the resilience in the stock of one of the ears permitting it to be spread slightly and return to its original position to look a projection on the rotor member i'nthe'desired position.

Another object of, the invention is the provision of means by which the parts which form the locking are in effect cammed one by the other to locking position to retain them in their desired fixed position of rotation, which is usually that of locked position for holding the pinstem in engagement.

Another object of the invention is to utilize the fingerpiece on the rotating member for mounting one of the engaging parts for retaining the rotating member in desired position to lock the pinstem against accidental detachment.

With these and other objects'in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a bar pin showing a pinstem with my safety catch in locking position at one end thereof.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the safety catch in open position.

Fig. 3 is an end view of the safety catch in closed or locked position.

Fig. 4 is an elevation at right angles to the showing in Fig. 3; and showing the rotor member as in locked position. I

Fig. 5 is an elevation of one part of the safety catch.

Fig. 6 is an end view of the rotor part of the safety catch.

Fig. '7 is an edge view thereof.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the opening slot for the pinstem as directed downwardly instead of upwardly and in this respect a modification with reference to the figures heretofore described.

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 3 of a modified construction of the rotor member.

Fig. 10 is an end view of the structure shown in Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is an end view showing a different modi- 00., Inc., a corporation of.

, 1935; Serial No. 38,224

fication of the structure and its locking projection. I

In the use of safety catches, it is desirable that the rotor member be retained in a certain definite locking position of rotation, n order to preventaccidental displacement thereof, and I have chosen for this locking position the limit of rotation of the rotor member to closed position so that there will be no play of the rotor member which may cause wear on the locking parts; and in order to provide such a locking structure I have raised a projection or abutment on one of the ears between which the rotor member moves and have provided a fingerpiece on the rotor or similar part, which is also provided with a projection to engage this abutment to cause one of the ears to spring outwardly to permit the fingerpiece to pass and then to spring back into position to lock the fingerpiece against movement in theopposite direction unless forced by some predesigned pressure towards openv position; and the following is a more detailed description of the present embodiment of this invention illustrating the preferred means by which these advantageous results may be accomplished:-; I g

With reference to the drawing, I have shown in Fig. 1 an ornamental bar 10 having a pins'tem joint H at one end thereof with a pinstem l2 mounted therein. and a safety catch designated generally I3 at the other end of this bar ill to receive the pointed end of thepinstem l2 for holding the pin in clasped position.

This safety catch consists of a baseportion I5 with ears or members l6 and I1 bent up thereof the rotor member from and spaced as at I8. Each of these ears is recessed as at H! and 20 to provide for a rotor member designated generally 2| in Fig. 6, and provided with a trunnion portion 22, 22 to fit into the bearings 19 and 20 while its body portion 23 is located in the space 18 between the ears for movement therein. I I

The ears are slotted asv at 24, while the rotor member is slotted as at 25. The slots 24 and 25 aligning in one position of rotation, as shown in Fig. 2, for the reception of the pinstem l2 into the center thereof. I

The rotor may be rotated in its bearing from the position shown inFig. 2 to the position shown in Fig.3., by manipulation of the fingerpiece 26 or 21 which extend radially outwardly from the rotor, as clearly illustrated, and when so rotated cause a closure of the slot by means of the body portion 23 as shown in Fig. 3.

In order that there may be a locking of the rotor member in the closed position shown in Fig.

3, I have provided an abutment 28 which extendsoutwardly fromone of the ears, such as ear l1, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, and I have a projection 29 on the fingerpiece 26 with a spherical ball-shaped portion which will contact the abutment 29 on the fingerpiece 26 and by reason of the ears springing apart slightly will pass by the abutment 28 to lodge in the positionshown in Fig, 3, or in Fig, 4, which is its limit of rotation by reason of the edge 30 of the fingerpiece 26 contacting with the edge 3| of the base, as shown in Fig. 3..

Thus in order that there may be a movement of the rotor in the opposite direction, it is necessary that there be sufficient force: provided to cause these cars to spring apart and permit the projection 29 to spring past the abutment 28" for this opposite rotation and in practice it is found that no force suflicient to accomplish this is present and thus until there is a manual-pressure, especially directed to accomplish this purpose, the rotor member will remain in locked position, as shownin Figs. 3 and 4 to which it has been moved.

In some cases instead of there being an upwardly opening slot there may be a downwardly opening slot 35, as shown in Fig. 8, in which case the same action will occur, there being a similar abutment 3t and a similarly shaped ball or rounded projection 31 on the fingerpiece to snap past the abutment 36 and, hold the rotor in this position of adjustment.

In Fig. 9, instead of the projection being on one of the fingerpieces, I have retained stock 38 between the fingerpieces and bowed the stock outwardly, as shown at 39 in Fig. 10, so as to engage an abutment 40 placed in a somewhat different position on one of the ears but past which the projection 38 may be sprung, either by a similar action of the parts or by a spring in the bow 38.

Instead of causing additional stock to be pro- Vided on the fingerpiece, in order to protrude and engage a projection such as 28, I have shown in Fig. 11 the fingerpiece 4!, as bent outwardly .from the plane of rotation of the rotor 2| so that -.when in this bent position it will contact and spring past the abutment 28. In some cases the projection 4| in addition to being bent out of the plane of rotation of the rotor, may also be bent or twisted to such a position as to be inclined for causing a camming action past the abutment 28 in one direction by means of a gradually inclined surface, whereas there will be an abrupt incline for return of the rotor to open position and thus the rotor will move to locked position in its closed direction much more easily than it will move to the unlocked or open position of the rotor member.

The foregoing description is directed solely towards the construction illustrated, but I desire it to be understood that I reserve the privilege of resorting to all the mechanical changes to which the device is susceptible, the invention being defined and limited only by the terms of the ap-- pended claims.

;I claim: v

1. A safety catch comprising a pair of ear members and arela'tively movable rotor member between said ear members, one of said ear members having a curved outer surface and both members having parallel inner surfaces each in a single plane, a fingerpiece on said rotor member for relatively rotating the member, and a locking abutment on one of the ears with the inner surface in the plane of the inner surface of the ear, said abutment and fingerpiece having surfaces which contact upon rotation but beyond which said fingerpiece may be sprung by the resilience of one of said members in a direction substantially parallel to said axis ofrotation to hold said. members in one relative position ofrotation, said contacting surface on the fingerpiece having a rounding contacting face to pe r mit movement thereby in either direction.

, 2.- A. safety catch comprising a pair of ear members and a relatively movable rotor member between said ear members, a fingerpiece on said rotor member for relatively rotating the same, and a locking abutment on one of said ear members, said fingerpiece being at an angle to the plane of rotation of said rotor member to pro- =vide a surface to contact with said abutment upon rotation but beyond which said fingerpiece may be sprung by the resilience of one of said members.

3. A safety catch comprising a pair of ear members and a relatively movable rotor member between said ear members, a fingerpiece on said rotor member for relatively rotating the same from open to closed position, and a locking abutment on one of said ear members, said fingerpiece being at an angle to the plane of rotation of said rotor member to provide a surface to contact with said abutment upon rotation but beyond which said fingerpiece may be sprung by the resilience of one of said members, said fingerpiece being also shaped to provide a camming surface to cause-resistance to closing movement in an amount less than a resistance to opening movement.

4. A safety catch comprising a pair of ear members and a relatively movable rotor member between said ear members, a portion on said rotor member extending beyond said ears and a locking abutment on one of said ear members, said portion beingat an angle to the plane of rotation of said rotor member to provide a surface to contact with said abutment upon rotation but beyond which said portion may be sprung by the resilience of one of said members.

5. A safety catch comprising a pair of ear members and a relatively movable rotor member between said ear members, a plurality of finger pieces on said rotor provided with a portion extending beyond the plane of the inner surface of one of said ears and a locking abutment on one of said ear members, said portion being at an angle to the plane of rotation of said rotor member to provide a surface to contact with said abutment upon rotation but beyond which said portion may be sprung by the resilience of said members.

6. A safety catch comprising a pair of ear members and a relatively movable rotor member between said ear members, a plurality of finger pieces on said rotor provided with a connecting web offset from the path of rotation of said finger pieces, and a locking abutment on one of said ear members, said offset portion of the web providing a surface to contact with said abutment upon rotation but beyond which said offset portionmay be sprung by the resilience of said member.

EUGENE MOREHOUSE. 

